Gabe Martinez

Gabe Martinez
My job was to search for enemy placed explosives buried in the roads and footpaths, search for Taliban, and do anything else in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

I am a combat wounded US Marine. In July of 2007, I joined the US Marine Corps to serve my country in the highest capacity. During the first 3 years of my service In the Marine Corps, I deployed twice. My first deployment was to the Middle East. We were called to Somalia when a cargo ship was taken over by Somali Pirates and the captain of the ship was taken hostage. We spent most of the 7-month deployment in the Middle East and about 60 days in Somalia conducting counter piracy efforts.

My second deployment, to Afghanistan was cut short on Thanksgiving day, 2010, when I stepped on a 20 lb. Improvised Explosive Device while conducting route clearance operations in the Helmand Province. My job was to search for enemy placed explosives buried in the roads and footpaths; search for Taliban members, and do anything else in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

When I stepped on the IED, I suffered the loss of both of my legs instantly. Shrapnel hit me all throughout my body, including through my helmet and into my skull, just barely entering my frontal lobe, which caused a traumatic brain injury. I did my recovery at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, CA. After about 3 months, I was starting to walk again and over the course of the next several months I regained my complete independence.

Shortly after retiring, in May 2012, my wife and I moved back to our home state of Colorado, where we currently reside. I spend most of my time with my beautiful wife and daughter, hunting, and trying to maintain my physical fitness.

I currently am awaiting the approval for an internship/job through the Dept. of Homeland Security and the Special Operations Command, doing forensics to put child predators in jail.

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